A HOSPITAL consultant downloaded pornographic images of young children from the internet when his work pushed him to breaking point, a court heard yesterday.

Radiographer Charles Bartlett, of Ferryside, Llanelli, was suffering from a depressive illness throughout most, if not all, the time he was offending, Cardiff Crown Court heard.

That illness "disinhibited" an interest in pornography which had existed during his adult life, judge Mr Justice Pitchford said.

Police found 1,653 images - including 24 showing sex between adults and children - on his home computer and on five CDs when they raided his house. But father-of-two Bartlett, 49, who earlier admitted 17 charges of making and possessing indecent photographs of children, escaped going to jail.

Bartlett, who is married, was ordered to do a three-year community rehabilitation order, which will include attending a community sex offenders' treatment programme.

The judge said that a report from Bartlett's GP revealed that in April 2002 he had "reached breaking point" and was suffering anxiety, depression, anorexia and insomnia.

"The cause of the illness was primarily the burden you undertook in your working life," said Mr Justice Christopher Pitchford.

"You have had an interest in pornography throughout your adult life and that extended to pornographic images of children. You downloaded the images for your own personal sexual gratification.

"These images are only available through the corruption and coercion of children. You are experienced and intelligent enough to have known this."

The judge said, "It seems your secret interest had no observable effect on your dealings with patients, in particular children."

Bartlett escaped a prison sentence after the judge heard he was suffering from depression as a result of his "heavy workload." The judge said, "You were suffering from an illness throughout the time these offences were committed.

"The illness disinhibited your interest in pornography and its cause was primarily the burden you undertook in your working life.

"For this reason, I make the decision you do not require a prison sentence. The loss of your reputation and work constitute a punishment that will last for the rest of your life."

Bartlett was currently working out his notice at West Wales General Hospital in Carmarthen and will finish in January, the court heard.

He was suspended from his job as consultant radiologist after his arrest last December.

"Your loss of reputation and of your work seem to me to constitute punishment which will affect the rest of your life," said the judge.

Bartlett was not a danger to the public, he said, and his "distorted thinking" would be addressed during the sex offenders' programme.

Bartlett was arrested by police in June as part of Operation Ore, the worldwide hunt for paedophiles backed by the FBI. He later described himself to the police as "broad-minded", saying he only drew the line at sites showing black women and gay men. When police searched his home he admitted storing pornographic material.

The judge said yesterday, "I have received testimonials from 10 senior professional colleagues which demonstrate that during your 16-year service as a consultant radiographer with Carmarthenshire NHS Trust and its predecessor you gave professional care of unsurpassed quality, often in under-resourced and difficult conditions."

In a letter partly read out in court at a previous hearing, Bartlett said, "I wish to apologise to all my patients, and the parents of any younger patients, and assure them that the part of my life that brought me to this was always completely separate."

Bartlett was ordered to register as a sex offender for five years and to pay &#xA3;800 prosecution costs and an undisclosed amount of defence costs.